Children's Home run by The Serendipity Centre Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 1 SC478315

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The Serendipity Centre Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home which is registered to care for up to four children who have complex behavioural difficulties. The organisation has other homes in the local area, and a therapeutic education setting.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has not had a registered manager since 1 November 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 28 and 29 August 2019. At that time a compliance notice was issued under regulation 24, monitoring and surveillance. This visit focused primarily on this notice and other requirements made at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

At this inspection it was found that the internal closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) had been removed. The decision to turn off the CCTV was made by senior managers. The staff were informed during team meetings. Further discussion was undertaken with staff during a consultation with the organisation’s therapist. This helped staff understand why the cameras had been removed and enabled them to offer reassurance to children who had believed the cameras afforded them some protection.

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This monitoring visit

The children were informed of the CCTV being removed in one-to-one sessions. One child was happy with the change, but another child needed reassurance by staff.

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This monitoring visit

This compliance notice has been met. In addition to the compliance notice, inspectors reviewed the requirements which had an end date of 13 October 2019. Inspectors found that insufficient action had Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 2 been taken to address all the requirements.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 11 Leaders and managers had reviewed the staff’s advice given to a child in relation to her sharing indecent images with her boyfriend and sharing these with a peer. They considered the legality of the incident but not how this impacted on the children. This regulation has not been met.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 12 The staff have not given children the necessary support to keep themselves safe. They have not recognised the children’s individual vulnerabilities.

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This monitoring visit

The inspectors reviewed a number of incidents which highlighted that further analysis is needed to inform practice and any lessons learned. Staff resorted to calling for assistance during one incident, which led to school staff, three staff from the home and the police being called to manage the situation. This incident was not sufficiently reviewed and the actions of staff were not explained. No analysis from the child’s perspective is included in the manager’s comments.

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This monitoring visit

A further incident was attributed to a child refusing medication. There are no further actions recorded in regard to any medical advice being sought to clarify if the failure to take medication could be a contributory factor in the incident.

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This monitoring visit

While staff have reported safeguarding issues, in line with policy and procedures, the other shortfalls mean that the requirement under regulation 12 is not met.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 13 The manager is leaving her post on 31 October 2019. A new manager has been appointed with a starting date of 1 December 2019. The deputy manager is to manage the home in the interim and support the new manager during the induction period. These arrangements are not sufficient.

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This monitoring visit

No children have moved in since the last inspection. The admission process remains untested. The responsible individual is planning to interview all staff to identify any gaps in knowledge, experience and skills. This work needs to be undertaken, and any identified training provided on a team and individual basis, prior to any further children moving in.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is aware of shortfalls in staff’s knowledge and has delivered some training for staff during team meetings. The minutes of these meetings are brief and lack detail. Staff who have not attended are expected to read these minutes but the lack of detail hinders the effectiveness of this measure to aid their learning. The manager reports that the home is fully staffed for the current number of children. She aims to have three staff caring for two children at all times. She Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 3 informed inspectors that this is achieved 50% of the time. Additional staff would be needed prior to any more children moving in.

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This monitoring visit

The development plan is of a poor standard. The plan failed to adequately consider the staff’s shortfalls and how the organisation planned to address these. The responsible individual had not given sufficient oversight to ensure that this plan addressed the issues raised at the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have identified that the monitoring process needs to be reviewed. The manager said that the duplication of records impacts on the care of the children. This piece of work has not been completed.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 27 There has not been a registered manager at the home since November 2018. A new manager has been appointed with a start date of 1 December 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 33 The induction process is under review. Leaders and managers are reviewing the induction and the provisions of an induction guide. This has not been completed.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 34 Leaders and managers have reported safeguarding issues, including allegations, to the designated officer. The manager has ensured that training in regard to the role of the designated officer has been undertaken with staff during a team meeting. However, the notes were brief and the content of the discussion was not recorded. Staff who did not attend the meeting were asked to read the minutes, which would not provide enough information for these staff to understand the role of the designated officer.

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This monitoring visit

Regulation 44 Ofsted has not received any regulation 44 reports since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements made under Regulations 16, 36, 40 and 45 have been met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 4 Leaders and managers have failed to address all the requirements set at the full inspection. They are unable to demonstrate that sufficient planning is in place to manage the home in between the current manager leaving the home and a new manager starting and completing an induction. They have failed to formulate and implement a plan to address all the concerns raised at the full inspection. Ofsted will consider any actions available to them to ensure the welfare and safety of children.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/08/2019 Full Inadequate 21/02/2019 Full Good 13/12/2017 Full Good 18/01/2017 Full Outstanding

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring that staff do not give children misleading messages regarding inappropriate images stored on mobile phones. 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 01/12/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to assessing and managing risk, ensuring that safeguarding concerns are effectively reported to the relevant professionals and providing children with guidance on the actions they should take to keep themselves safe. The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to assessing the likely impact of new admissions effectively, ensuring that staff support one another during serious incidents, ensuring that new staff meet the organisation’s selection criteria, ensuring that there are always sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of the children at all times, and using effective systems to monitor the quality of care being provided. 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)) 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33(1)(a)) 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy 01/12/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 6 which— sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular— provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. (Regulation 34(1)(b)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to following the home’s policy which indicates that in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff, a referral will be made to the designated person in the local authority before undertaking an internal investigation. Referrals should be made in a timely way. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— HMCI. (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 01/12/2019

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Recommendations

 Regulation 11(2) sets out the expectations on staff in building a positive relationship with each child and helping the child develop skills to have positive relationships with others. ‘Others’ includes individuals both inside and outside the home such as other children in the home, staff, family members, siblings, previous carers and friends (in accordance with their relevant plans). The care planning standard (page 55) provides further detail in respect of contact with parents, relatives and friends. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6) Specifically, ensure that staff support children in the home to build positive peer relationships and resolve disputes without the need to resort to aggression. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Serendipity Centre Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor, Goodlands House, St. Luke’s Close, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2US

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Teri Peck, regulatory inspector manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC478315 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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